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23  WEST  MA'N  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  MS80 

(  716)  872-4503 


ri? 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions 


Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


1980 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

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Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
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et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


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THE 


EVANGELIZATION 


OP  THK 


FRENCH    CANADIANS 


OF 


NEW  ENGLAND. 


By   REV.   CALVIN   E.   AMARON,   B.  D . 

Pastor  of  the  French  Protestant  Church,  Lowell,  Mass. 


LOWELL,  MASS.: 
CAMPBELL    &    HANSCOM,    PRINTEKS. 

1885. 


FRENCH  PBOTBSTAiJT  BOARDING 

SCHOOL 

4 

I  pledge  myself  to  pay  to  the  Treairarer  of  tJie 
Frmch  Protestant  School,  Lowell,  (on  oi-  before  the 

15th  Oct.  1885)  U»e  sum  of  $ for 

scholarship  towards  the  e4uo4ition  oi'  one  papil. 


Oufl  «;holar8hip  w  ^50,    One  htilf .  $35.    Ono  quarter,  $13. 
Sign   and  return  as  cifx>n  »e  ooHveniejit  to  HbV  C  IL  Amaron, 
36  Arliugtoo  sUfcet  howttil.  MASa. 


itlin       35264 


THE    EVANGELIZATION 

OF   THE 

FEENCH    CANADIANS. 


The  evangelization  of  the  French  Canadian  population  of  Canada 
and  of  the  United  States  is  a  subject  dear  to  ray  heart.  I  shall 
thank  God  when  the  day  has  come  in  which  the  iron  yoke  under 
which  my  fellow-countrymen  are  crushed  shall  have  been  forever  re- 
moved. I  shall  praise  His  name  when  the  despotic  and  arrogant 
hierarchy  that  rules  Canada  with  a  rod  of  iron  shall  have  lost  its 
power.  As  the  son  of  one  of  the  first  Swiss  missionaries  who  45 
years  ago  in  response  to  the  Macedonian  cry,  left  the  shores  of  their 
beautiful  Lake  Leman  and  their  inspiring  Mount  Blanc,  to  begin  this 
much  needed  work,  I  would  consider  myself  little  worthy  of  my  godly 
father,  who  shall  soon  rest  from  his  arduous  task,  did  I  not  take  up 
his  mantle,  devote  myself  to  this  same  work,  and  endeavor  to  awaken 
an  interest  in  it  among  God's  people  in  this  Christian  republic. 

I.       ITS    ORIGIN. 

The  French  Canadians  whose  evangelization  is  graduall}'  becoming 
one  of  the  important  missions  of  the  churches  of  Massachusetts,  are 
the  descendants  of  nat'vos  of  France  who  had  made  of  Canada,  then 
known  as  "La  Nouvello  France,"  their  home,  between  its  discovery 
by  Cartier  in  1535  and  the  capture  of  Quebec  by  the  British  in  1759. 
.  Several  establishments  of  the  French  settlers  are  still  to  be  found 
in  New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia,  preserving  the  language, 
manners,  and  religion  of  their  foreftitliers. 

When  the  first  attempt  was  made  to  give  them  the  light  of  the 
gospel,  the  French  Canadians,  located  on  the  rich  lands  lying  along 
the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  its  magnificent  tributaries,  num- 
bered about  half  a  million  of  souls  ;  now,  three  quarters  of  a  century 
later,  they  have  increased  to  over  one  million  and  a  half. 

That  part  of  Canada  where  they  were  chiefly  located  was  still 
under  the  old  feudal  tenure,  a  system  at  least  coeval  with  tlie  17th 
century  in  France  and  pretty  nearly  the  same  as  the  old  Norman 


n 


system  in  England,  which  was  abolished  about  the  time  of  Charles  II. 
(Can.  Com.  report.) 

The  early  settlers  of  Canada  were  not  all  of  the  kind  generally 
found  in  new  countries.  Among  them  were  several  men  of  rank  and 
learning,  who  had  made  of  New  France  their  home,  through  motives 
of  piety.  Tliey  devoted  tliemselves  to  the  conversion  of  the  Indians, 
and  occasionally  succeeded  to  induce  the  red  man  to  bury  his  hatchet 
of  war  for  a  time  at  least.  Aided  by  a  number  of  .Jesuits,  Recollects 
and  other  ecclesiastics,  male  and  female,  they  displayed  a  wonder- 
ful and  most  commendable  missionary  zeal  in  propagating  their 
religious  views,  and  well  might  have  put  to  shame  as  well  the  Pro- 
testant churches  of  Canada  as  those  of  Euroix;.  "  Tlie  grants  for 
the  support  of  education  and  religion  were  of  the  most  princely  char- 
acter ;  the  island  of  Montreal,  those  extensive  domains  called  the 
Jesuit  Estates,  and  man}'  of  the  most  valuable  portions  of  the  coun- 
try were  freely  given.  Nor  was  aid  of  other  kinds  wanting,  either 
from  the  Parent  country  or  from  the  Colonists,  to  promote  those  ob- 
jects, wisely  felt  to  be  of  such  vast  importance  in  the  founding  of  a 
new  community.  In  addition  to  those  grants,  a  provision  was 
created  by  law,  in  the  shape  of  a  twenty-sixth  of  the  grain  raised, 
payable  by  the  farmer  to  the  priest  of  his  parish,  and  which  still  re- 
mains, although  only  recoverable  from  those  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
faith.  As  has  been  remarked  there  were  among  the  Colonists  not  a 
few  whose  ac(niircments  were  of  a  superior  description  ;  indeed  a 
writer  remarks  that  great  attention  was  in  general  given  to  the  choice 
of  those  who  went  to  establish  themselves  in  Canada,  and  that  as 
respects  the  rank  of  the  settlers,  it  was  said  that  Canada  had  more 
of  the  ancient  nobility  than  any  other  French  colony,  and  perhaps 
than  all  of  them  together.  Such  was  the  field  which  the  church  of 
Rome  had  to  occupy  in  Canada."  (Reix>rt  F.  C.  M.  S.)  It  may 
well  be  said  that  Rome  could  never  have  asked  a  better  field.  She 
had  ample  provision  to  establish  her  system,  her  priests  were  con- 
sidered demigods  by  the  people ;  they  had  a  clear  field  before  the 
English  conquest  and  the  fullest  toleration  and  encouragement  by 
the  British  government  since.  There  was  nothing  to  prevent  her 
from  doing  her  work,  and  if  she  were  what  she  claims  to  be,  she 
should  have  made  of  this  French  colony  one  of  the  firet  nations  of 
the  earth  in  commercial,  intellectual  and  moral  greatness.  Have  we 
not  a  right  to  expect  this  of  her  when  she  declares  herself  to  be  the 
onl}'  true  church  of  Christ,  the  light  and  salt  of  the  earth  ? 

But  what  did  the  Protestant  Christian  church  of  Europe  find  out 
after  three  centuries  of  culpable  neglect?  Was  it  discovered  that  the 
Romish  system  of  religious  and  secular  education  had  enlightened 


n 


1^ 

the  iiiiiul,  had  niisc^d  the  people  ubove  the  piejiuliees  and  supersti- 
tions peculiar  to  ignorance?  Was  it  found  that  the  heart  had  been 
made  liberal  and  generous,  that  tliis  Kornan  Catholic  colony  was 
foremost  in  relieving  human  siifrering  and  in  Itenevolent  enterprises? 
Did  the  Christian  church  Mud  a  people  well-educated,  thriay,  pros- 
perous? It  is  well  known  that  the  reverse  was  the  case.  Scarcely  a 
trace  of  education  could  be  found  among  the  peasantry  ;  out  of  every 
jury  summoned  one  half  could  not  read,  and  when  a  parish  had  occa- 
sion to  send  a  petition  out  of  KK)  names,  90  per  cent,  were  accom- 
panied by  a  mark.  Moreover  there  was  a  total  lack  of  enterprise 
among  the  jjeople.  Kcliglon  was  not  religion  I)ut  sui)erstition  and 
bigotry.  Home  liad  thus  lailed  compleU'ly,  notwithstanding  her  great 
privileges,  to  raise  that  colony  and  give  it  a  name  among  the  nations 
of  the  earth. 

True  Christians,  large-hearted  men  then  began  to  put  themselves 
the  fpiestion  :  Have  we  done  our  duty  towards  these  poor  victims  of 
error  since  they  have  become  English  sulijects?  They  do  not  know 
the  (lospel,  they  know  nothing  of  its  elevating  influences.  For  three 
centuries  they  are  at  a  stand-still,  intellectually  and  morally.  Do  we 
wish  the  French  Canadians  to  make  advances  in  the  things  wliich  be- 
long to  their  happiness  for  both  worlds?  Then  must  we  set  them  free 
from  a  system  that  has  made  them  and  keeps  them  what  they  are? 
Romanism  has  utterly  failed  to  lift  them  up,  it  has  rather  caused  them 
to  sink  ;  the  IJible  alone  can  save  them  from  the  temporal  and  s|)irit- 
ual  degradation  into  which  they  have  Allien.  And  we  may  add  that 
what  it  could  not  do  then  and  there  it  cannot  and  will  not  do  in  this 
repul)lic  where  it  is  establishing  itself  so  firmly. 

As  far  as  is  known,  to  the  Wesleyans  of  England  is  due  the  honor 
of  the  first  attempt  to  evangelize  the  French  Canadians.  Reference 
is  made  in  the  minutes  of  the  Hritish  Weslcyan  Conference  for  181.5, 
to  the  sending  out  of  John  de  Pudron  as  a  French  missionary  to 
preach  in  Canada  in  the  French  language.  This  he  did  until  1821 
and  after  that  he  seems  to  have  devoted  his  time  to  English  work  and 
returned  to  F^urope  in  182."). 

The  last  report  of  the  F'rench  Canadian  Missionary  Society  fur- 
nishes the  following  interesting  fact  which  would  indicate  that  even 
earlier  attempts  to  circulate  the  Scriptures  had  been  made.  ''At 
Niagara,  in  1795,  a  copy  of  Martin's  Bible  was  purchased  by  a  far- 
mer from  Ste.  Therese.  It  was  obtained  from  two  Frenchmen  who 
had  been  in  the  Lower  Province  to  sell  Bibles,  but  had  been  driven 
away  by  the  priests.  This  Bible  which  Mr.  Filiatrault  brought  home 
gave  him  light.     When  in  1841  the  colporteurs  visited  Ste.  Therese, 


they  weio  well  received  by  these  fumilies,  who  in  (hie  time  were  con- 
verted to  Christ." 

There  seems  to  have  been  no  missionary  in  the  field  for  ten  years 
after  Mr.  de  Pudron's  return  to  Europe.  Various  causes,  however, 
had  prepared  the  way  for  missionary  work  and  had  made  the  Chris- 
tians of  Canada  anxious  to  see  it  begun  in  earnest.  Tlie  late  General 
Armstrong,  R.  A.,  wrote  to  Edinburgh,  and  in  183.'5  a  committee  was 
formed  there,  with  Robert  Ilaldane  as  secretary  and  treasurer.  Their 
desire  and  purpose  was  "to  engage  men  of  approved  piety,  without 
reference  to  names  or  party  distinction,  to  preach  and  teach  the  un- 
searchable riciies  of  Christ,  to  traverse  the  Province  as  colporteurs 
and  to  scatter  the  seed  of  the  kingdom  wherever  they  go." 

Mr.  IlcJiri  Olivier,  an  eminently  pious  and  devoted  Swiss  mission- 
ary, oifered  himself  for  this  work,  and  reached  Montreal  with  his  ex- 
cellent wife  in  1H;U.  He  began  to  preach,  many  came  to  hear  him, 
until  the  pi'iests  took  the  alarm  and  forbade  the  people  to  listen  to 
him.  How  conscious  of  weakness  must  be  that  system  that  fears 
contact  with  Ciod's  eternal  word  ! 

In  18,'}.>  a  Baptist  cinirch  was  formed  at  Montreal,  and  in  the  fall 
of  that  same  year  a  Swiss  lad}*,  a  large-hearted  and  devoted  woman, 
Mrs.  H.  Feller,  joined  Mr.  Olivier  along  with  Mr.  L.  Roussy,  who 
was  sent  b}'  the  Association  of  Churches  in  the  Canton  de  Vand. 
These  devoted  missionaries  founded  a  mission  at  Grande  Eigne, 
which  they  carried  on  in  the  midst  of  privations,  dangers  and  perils, 
the  details  of  which  would  fill  volumes.  They  were  severely  beaten, 
Mr.  Roussy's  horse  was  cruelly  mutilated,  he  himself  was  shot  at, 
Mrs.  Feller's  house  was  at  night  surrounded  by  a  mob  numbering 
several  hundreds.  With  frightful  yells  and  horrid  imprecations  they 
threatened  this  Christian  lady  with  death  if  she  did  not  leave,  and 
commanded  the  new  converts  to  abandon  their  new  religion  under 
pain  of  fire  and  sword.  God  alone  knows  what  these  godly  men  and 
women  had  to  endure  for  Christ's  sake. 

Enconraged  by  the  results  of  the  Grande  Eigne  Mission,  several 
Christians  of  Montreal  met,  and  after  much  thoughtful  consideration 
and  prayer,  on  the  8th  of  April,  1839,  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
great  society  known  as  the  French  Canadian  Missionar}'  Society, 
which  for  fort3'-two  years  carried  on  a  non-sectarian  work  of  evangel- 
ization among  the  French  Canadian  Roman  Catholics  of  Canada. 
This  organization  did  a  great  and  good  work,  and  it  may  well  be 
asked  whether  a  mistake  was  not  made  when  the  French  work  became 
denominational  and  when  the  societ}^  gradually  deprived  of  its 
resources,  ceased  to  exist.     May  I  express  the  hope  that  Christians 


tU 


:i 


111 


of  hII  hIjiuIos  sh'ill  do  all  In  their  power  to  snve  our  New  Kngland 
French  I'rotcstjuitisin  from  the  evil  and  weakness  of  sectarian  divi- 
sions. In  Lowell  we  have  had  up  U)  this  date  hut  one  church,  work- 
in*;  harmoniously  and  broad  enough  for  all  who  seek  first  the  king- 
dom of  (lod  and  his  righteousness,  and  we  trust  that  this  state  of 
things  will  continue. 

In  the  fall  of  183!)  Rev.  W.  Taylor  and  Mr.  James  Court  were 
sent  to  Europe  as  agents  of  the  F.  C  M,  S.,  and,  after  visiting 
several  cities  of  Scotland,  went  to  (leneva  in  quest  of  a  few  brave, 
zealous  and  pious  nien  who  would  be  willing  to  leave  kindred  and 
country  to  go  to  Camida  to  proclaim  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel. 
Dr.  Taylor  addressed  a  crowded  audience  in  the  church  of  La  PeUs- 
serie,  having  I'rof.  Laharpe  as  interpreter.  He  did  the  same  in  the 
church  of  the  Oratoire.  The  deepest  interest  prevailed  and  the  ap- 
peal was  sustained  by  such  men  as  Col.  Tronchin,  Dr.  Malan,  and 
the  church  historian  whose  name  is  so  familiar,  Dr.  Merle  D'Aubiirne. 
It  is  said  of  one  of  those  who  listened  to  that  Macedonian  cry,  that 
he  declared  after  the  meeting  that  he  had  to  hold  on  by  the  bottom  of 
the  seat  to  prevent  himself  fi-om  rising  and  calling  out:  "Here  am  I, 
send  me  !  "  1  may  be  permitted  to  say  with  gratitude  to  God  that 
the  first  young  man  who  rose  in  tlipt  meeting  to  offer  himself  for  this 
missionary  work  was  my  father. 

Through  the  visit  of  this  deputation  the  services  of  eight  mission- 
aries were  secured  who  were  sent  to  fields  of  labor  as  yet  untouched. 
Trials  and  obstacles  beset  them  on  all  sides.  The  greatest  of  these 
was  ignorance  and  the  superstition  it  breeds.  The  clergy  of  the 
church  of  Koine  seemed  to  make  it  a  duty  to  keep  the  people  ignorant 
in  order  to  keep  them  under  control.  They  fiercely  opposed  the 
efforts  of  the  missionaries  to  spread  education,  Gosi)el  truth  and 
liberty  ;  they  gratuitously  bestowed  upon  them  every  bad  epithet  the 
dictionary  could  furnish  :  ravening  wolves  dressed  in  sheep's  clothing  ; 
emissaries  of  the  devil ;  dangerous  beings  whom  the  devout  woman 
should  drive  out  of  home  and  parish,  stick  in  hand.  No  absolution 
granted  otherwise. 

It  may  readily  be  understood  how  easy  and  safe  it  must  have  been 
for  these  men  of  God  to  go  from  house  to  house  in  the  midst  of  a 
population  thus  prepared.  It  happened  very  often  that  no  shelter 
would  be  given  them  when  night  came,  or  again,  having  found  a 
house  to  receive  them,  in  the  dead  of  night  when  it  was  discovered 
what  mission  theirs  was,  they  were  cruelly  ejected.  And  thus  after  a 
hard  day's  work,  with  wearied  bodies  and  aching  hearts,  like  Jacob 
they  were  obliged  to  sleep,  a  stone  for  their  pillow,  under  shelter  of 
the  spacious  firmament.     But  the  God  of  the  patriarch  watched  over 


8 

tliciii,  coinforti'd  nnd  protected  tlu'in.  Tlie  (V)ll()\vin«f  incident  will 
sulllce  t()  f?ive  an  idea  of  tlie  siipeiMtition  wliicii  tlicu  prevailed.  It  is 
taken  from  the  report  of  one  ol"  tiie  niiMsionaries,  dated  Killi  Decem- 
ber, IHIO: 

"To-day  I  viwited  a  pernon  to  whom  wo  had  h'nt  a  Hif)h^     Kil\v 
persons  ansemhh'd.  .. .      I  i'ndeavored  to  adch'CHs  them  seriously  on 
the  danjjer  in  which  they  were  if  they  died  unconverted.      It  was  of 
no   avail ;   but  what  astonished  tne  most  was  that  they  kept  nlwavs 
looking;  at  my  feet.      Finally  a  woman  said  tint  their  priest  had  told 
them  that  in  the  latter  days  false  prophets  woultl  come   and  that  we 
wore  such;  that  wo  were  iuali<>nant  spirits  escape<l  from  the  i)ottom 
of  hell  and  come  to  destroy   their  souls.     '  But,  my   dear  hearers,' 
said  he,   '  would  you  know  them,  then,  when  they  visit  you,  nsk  them 
to  uncover  their  left  foot  and  Ihcy  will  be  fomid  cloven  like  those  of  a 
cow  or  sln'cp.     Those,  however,  who  have  not  tlu'ir  feet  cloven,  are 
good  people  and  yon  can  listen  to  them.'     After  this  reply,  says  the 
missionary,   I    took    ort"  my  shoe   and    stocking,  but   oh !    my   dear 
brethren,  it  is   impossible  to  describe  what  passed  in  my  heart,  on 
viewinj;  these  poor  people   crowding   round  me  to  look  at  my  foot. 
I  immcdijitely  .^aw  a  great  change  on  their  countenance.     Their  fear, 
their  prcjudii-es  disappeared,  and  I  had  the  joy  of  announcing  to  them 
the  Gos|)el.     They  listened  with  much  attention,  and  I  took  advan- 
tage of  the  priest's   falsehood   respecting  the   cloven   foot,  to   show 
them  that  all  the  other  things  he  said  against  us  were  alike  false." 

II.       ITS   GROWTH. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  obstacles,  this  work,  being  of  fJod,  began 
to  take  hold  on  the  hearts  of  the  people.  Mere  and  there  a  few 
brave  men  and  women  renounced  the  errors  of  Koine  in  the  face  of 
the  fiercest  persecutions  to  accept  the  simple  teachings  of  the  Gospel. 
One  of  these  old  heroes  of  the  faith  relates  that  for  a  whole  year  he 
was  never  able  to  undress  ;  he  was  com[)elled  to  protect  himself, 
family  and  property,  rifle  in  hand.  The  F.  C.  M.  Society  very  soon 
realized  that  its  work  would  be  almost  fruitless  as  long  as  ignorance 
prevailed,  and  very  early  took  the  wise  resolution  of  erecting  a  large 
school,  missionary  in  its  character  and  in  which  the  children  of  con- 
verts and  of  Roman  Catholic  families  would  obtain  board,  secular 
and  religious  instruction  in  both  languages  at  as  low  a  figure  as  pos- 
sible and  if  necessar}',  gratuitously.  These  schools  were  from  the 
very  beginning  well  attended  and  for  forty  j-ears  have  been  giving  a 
Christian  education  to  hundreds  of  children  who  with  few  exceptions 
have  become  Protestant  and  Christian.  The  French  Canadian  Pro- 
testants who  in  Canada  and  the  United  States  occup}'  good  social 


1 

II 


I 


c 


1 

II 


I 


positions  and  nrc  nn  honor  to  tlio  clinrch  of  Cliri  oitjicr  as  imstors, 
tciulicrs  or  Kiinple  tnt'inlicrs.  for  the  )no«t  part  luc  indoliti'd  to  the 
Poliiti>-aiix-'rrt'niI)l('s  schools,  now  in  the  hands  of  the  IVcshvtcrians, 
or  to  tlic  (iiiincic  lA'^iw  and  Saltrcvois  institntions.  The  cliildren  who 
iiuve  attended  tliese  schools  liave  i)een  used  hy  (Jod  in  a  inarvellons 
wny  to  scatter  preeions  seeds  whicli  we,  yonntjer  missionaries,  arc 
reai)in{r  every  (hiy.  It  is  achnitted  by  all  that  these  mission  sehoois 
have  hoen  the  most  efl'eetive  ninonj;  all  evanj^elistic  agencies  em- 
ployed. They  were  fonnd  to  l)e  the  indispcnsahle  snpplements  to  the 
woW<  done  Iiy  the  missionary  from  house  to  honse.  As  soon  as  he 
found  a  family  s<Mnewh:it  inclined  towards  the  Oospcl  he  persnaded 
them  to  send  their  children  to  one  of  these  Christian  schools.  In  the 
spring  when  they  went  hiivk  to  their  homes,  so  different,  so  much  im- 
proved in  every  way  and  often  truly  converted  to  Christ,  tin;  parents 
could  not  but  bo  convinced  that  a  religion  that  produced  such  results 
n)ust  be  good. 

4 

III.       ITS    ACTUAL    STATE. 

In  attempting  to  speak  on  the  actual  state  of  the  work  in  America, 
one  nmst  do  so  in  a  general  way.  Fifty  years  ago  there  were  not 
known  to  be  any  French  speaking  I'rotestants  in  Canada.  A  care- 
fully prepared  estimate  shows  that  to-day  there  are  in  Canada  over 
100  French  Protestant  i)re!iching  static^ns  with  about  4000  members 
and  1 1 ,000  adherents  ;  Oo  Subl)ath  schools  and  2;j  mission  schools 
with  an  attendance  of  3000  children;  110  missionaries,  colporteurs 
and  teachers  diffusing  Gospel  light. 

Jii  the  city  of  ^Montreal  there  are  five  churches  and  two  missions 
and  a  French  Society  of  which  any  city  might  well  be  proud.  Under 
the  direction  of  French  Protestants  there  are  two  or  three  institutions 
for  young  ladies  who  wish  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  French  lan- 
guage wilhonf  [jatronizing  Poman  Catholic  convents  in  which  Pro- 
testant children  should  never  be  found. 

The  missionary  schools  of  whicli  I  spoke  are  now  doing  more  work 
than  ever.  The  Pointe-aux-Trembles  institution  gave  instruction  to 
122  boys  and  girls  hist  winter,  32  of  whom  gave  their  hearts  to  Christ 
and  joined  the  church.  It  may  be  interesting  to  state  that  19  young 
people  went  to  these  schools  from  our  Massachusetts  French  Pro- 
testant churches  this  winter. 

As  far  as  I  can  ascertain  there  are  between  ,')0  and  70  French 
Protestant  preaching  stations  in  the  United  States.  Some  churches, 
such  as  those  of  St.  Anne,  111.,  and  New  York,  are  strong  and  grow- 
ing in  influence  and  power.     Through  the  efforts  of  Father  Chiniquy 


10 

and  others,  God  in  his  mercy  has  given  the  light  of  the  Gospel  to 
about  25,000  French  Canadians  who  are  now  residents  of  the  United 
States  and  are  exerting  a  good  influence  among  their  fellow- countr}'- 
men.  The}'  are  found  all  over  the  countr}',  while  their  children,  who 
hav^  become  Americans,  occupy  honored  places  in  American  Christian 
churches.  God  hath  wrought  great  thmgs  whereof  we  have  reason 
to  be  thankful.  The  field  is  ripe  for  the  harvest,  the  minds  are  open 
to  conviction,  the  ueople  are  preparing  to  free  themselves  from  Rome. 
It  is  for  you,  Christians  of  this  republic,  to  say  whether  the  French 
population  shall  antei  your  ranks  or  those  of  infidelity  and  sin.  By 
your  free  institutions  you  help  to  destroy  the  Romish  faith.  Woe 
unto  you  if  30U  do  not  replace  it  by  the  Gospel ! 

WORK    IN    MASSACHUSETTS LOWELL. 

Seven  5'ears  ago  last  July  u  French  Protestant  church  was  founded 
in  Lowell  with  seven  members,  ])y  Rev.  T.  G.  A.  Cote,  now  General 
Missionary  for  the  state.  It  worshipped  in  halls  for  several  3'cars. 
Through  the  liberalit}'  largelj'  of  the  Christian  friends  of  the  cit}',  a 
church  edifice  was  erected  and  finally  taken  possession  of  in  October 
1881.  On  the  10th  May,  188.'),  a  jubilee  service  was  held  to  thank 
God  for  helping  the  church  to  secure  a  balance  of  over  $r)000  still 
due.  The  church  is  now  free  of  debt.  Since  its  organization  in 
1877,  153  members  have  been  received  in  full  communion.  During 
the  year  ending  1st  May,  31  were  added  to  the  church,  15  of  these 
having  at  one  time  been  Romanists.  The  conversion  of  one  of  these 
approaches  in  interest  that  of  Paul.  A  young  man  of  20,  connected 
with  the  family  of  a  bishop  of  Canada  and  of  one  of  the  min'sters 
of  the  Dominion  parliament,  destine.d  for  the  priesthood,  is  led  by 
God  in  a  most  miraculous  manner  to  seek  the  truth,  is  truly  con- 
verted to  Christ  and  devotes  himself  to  the  wc.k  of  evangelization. 

The  Lowell  church  Is  now  fully  organized  with  a  board  of  deacons 
and  a  good  business  committee.  The  system  of  weekl}'  offerings, 
instead  of  pew  rents,  has  beer,  '".stituted  and  the  contributions  have 
been  very  much  increased.  The  church  now  pays  its  running  ex- 
penses and  a  portion  of  the  pastor's  stipend.  In  response  to  a  call 
from  the  pastor  the  congregation  contributed  $170  towards  the  debt 
resting  on  this  building.  The  Sabbath  school  is  in  good  working 
order,  having  a  good  superintendent  and  five  teachers,  with  an  aver- 
age attendance  of  GO  with  the  Bible  Clads.  The  weekly  meeting  for 
prayer  has  been  attended  since  January  by  a  little  under  one  half  of 
the  Sabbath  morning  meetings. 

Some  aggressit^e  work  has  been  done  in  that  part  of  Lowell  known 
as  Little  Canada,  and  cottage-meetings  held  in  Roman  Catholic  homes 


!; 


( 


Hi 


I 


u 

with  satisfactory  results.  The  work  has  given  rise  to  fruitful  discus- 
sions which  have  led  many  to  read  tlie  Word  of  God.  The  conver- 
sion of  the  young  man  above  referred  to  has  given  rise  to  mudi  reli- 
gious correspondence  which  must  inevitably  bear  its  fruits  not  only 
here  but  on  the  distant  l)anks  of  the  St.  Lawrence  where  tb^rse  letters 
have  gone.  It  may  well  be  said  that  the  manner  in  which  God  has 
dealt  with  this  mission  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes.  A  young  people's 
Society  of  Christian  Endeavor  has  been  formed  from  which  great 
results  are  expected. 

FALL    RIVER. 

The  Mass.  H.  Miss.  Society  has  planted  a  mission  in  Fall  River, 
which,  though  not  so  flourishing  as  that  of  Lowell,  has  done  good  in 
the  past.  The  work  has  been  in  some  measure  retarded  on  account 
of  the  ill-health  of  the  missionary,  Rev.  C.  Mousseau,  who  feels 
obliged  to  hand  over  the  mission  to  a  stronger  man. 

SPRINGFIELD. 

The  same  society  established  through  the  efforts  of  the  General 
Missionary,  Mr.  Cote,  a  mission  in  this  city,  some  .nonths  ago.  Rev. 
J.  Provost  has  entered  heartily  into  his  work  and  is  meeting  with 
gratifying  results.  The  mission  will  shortly  be  organized  into  a 
church. 

LAWRENCE. 

Mr.  C.  W.  Grenier  has  been  for  the  past  few  months  breaking 
ground  in  Lawrence.  He  meets  with  much  religious  indifference  and 
ignorance  among  the  people  and  realizes  the  urgent  need  of  his  work, 
for  lifting  up  the  moral  and  religious  standard  of  tiie  1' rench  Roman 
Catholic  population.  Let  those  Christians  who  say,  "Romanism  is 
good  enough  for  Romanists,"  come  with  the  missionary  to  those 
places  he  visits,  and  they  will  soon  understand  how  inadequate,  and 
I  may  add,  heartless,  is  such  an  excuse  for  neglecting  such  work. 

HOLYOKE. 

Mr.  Cote  has  for  the  last  few  months  confined  his  labors  to  Ilolyoke. 
No  field  of  labor  better  iUustrates  the  sad  results  produced  bj- 
Romanism  on  the  intelligent,  thoughtful  man.  It  is  not  this  system 
that  he  has  to  oppose  but  its  legitimate  offsprings,  religious  indifler- 
ence  and  avowed  atheism.  God  has  blessed  him  in  his  labors  and 
the  prospects  are  that  soon  this  field  shall  be  one  of  our  most  encour- 
aging. 


I 


m 


12 


IV. 


ITS    rilESKNT    NEKDS. 


Not  a  word  need  be  added  to  enforce  the  claims  of  this  important 
l)ranch  of  Home  Mission  work.  Without  for  a. moment  bhiming  thos3 
hirge-hearted  Christians  who  send  thousands  of  dollars  to  France  to 
help  the  McAU  Mission,  may  it  not  be  asked  whether  the  home  work 
should  not  first  be  attended  to?  The  Romanism  which  made  France 
an  inlidel  nation  is  sure  to  work  similar  results  in  the  1)00, 000  French 
Canadian  Romanists  of  the  New  Kngland  states.  IJetter  a  thousand 
times  to  reach  them  with  the  Gosj^el  before  the  religious  feeling  has 
been  destro3'ed  than  after.  All  true  Christians  who  give  this  subject 
a  moment's  thought,  understand  that  this  work  cannot  wisely  be  ne- 
glected. Too  long  already  has  the  mistake  been  made  of  regarding 
Romanism  as  simply  one  among  the  Christian  denominations  of  this 
land.  A  Protestant  Christian  nation  readih'  grants  such  a  position, 
but  Rome  knows  well  that  in  this  position  slu;  cannot  hold  her  own. 
Therefore  she  must  take  measures  to  overthrow  your  free  institutions 
because  she  cannot  stand  their  influence ;  and  while  hundreds  of 
Americans  sa}',  "  She  cannot  overthrow  our  institutions,"  she  is  build- 
ing herself  up,  she  is  taking  successful  means  to  witluhaw  the  mass 
cf  her  people  from  those  influences  which  are  inimical  to  the  spirit 
that  has  always  governed  her. 

Shall  we,  because  we  have  the  power,  take  up  arms  and  crush  her, 
as  she  did  where  and  when  she  had  the  ascendency?  God  forbid. 
The  Gospel  has  taught  us  better  things  Yot  we  shall  and  we  must 
say  to  her  if  we  are  worthy  of  Christ  and  of  our  blood-l)ought  privi- 
leges :  "  You  do  not  preach  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  as  Christ  did. 
The  results  of  your  teachings  have  not  been  good.  Recognizing  the 
good  yon  have  done  to  the  world,  especially  in  those  dnys  when  .your 
doctiines  were  comparatively  pure,  we  are  forced  by  facts  to  declare 
that  you  cannot  make  a  ixjople  great  and  good.  We,  therefore,  as 
men,  first,  and  then  as  Christians,  are  in  dut\'  bound  to  offer  to  all 
who  seek  a  home  within  our  borders,  those  glorious  liberties  and 
truths  which  the  Bible  has  taught  us  and  which  have  made  our  nation 
what  it  is.  '  Yet  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but 
mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strongholds.' "  Can  we 
afford  to  wait  until  the  17r),(K)0  French  Canadians  of  Massachusetts 
have  learni'd  English  to  give  them  the  Gospel?  If  so  you  shall  wait 
until  the  vast  majorit}-  have  become  skeptics  and  have  gone  to  swell 
the  tide  of  the  lapsed  masses  already  too  large. 

But  how  can  the  work  be  done?  By  earnest,  devoted.  God-fearing 
missionaries,  who  shall  go  all  over  the  state  with  the  message  of  sal- 
vation.    Very  well,  says  the  Christian  giver,  send  such  a   man   here 


, 


/ 


18 

or  there  and  I  will  sustain  him.  But  here  our  work  must  stop,  be- 
cause men  of  the  ability  and  character  we  need  are  very  few,  and  the 
Presbyterian  College  at  Montreal  may  be  said  to  be  the  only  institu- 
tion on  this  continent  that  has  the  appliancies  to  equip  such  men. 
The  Canadian  church  has  dealt  liberally  with  us  in  the  past,  has  given 
us  several  of  its  best  men,  but  now  it  feels  compelled  to  place  upon 
its  missionaries  the  moral  obligation  to  work  in  Canada,  where  one 
million  and  a  half  of  French  Roman  Catholics  must  be  converted  to 
Christ.  Shall  our  work  stop  because  of  this?  No,  it  must  not.  Let 
men  and  women  in  whom  the  flame  of  patriotism  burns,  and  especially 
that  of  Christian  love,  come  to  our  help  and  build  in  Lowell  a  Fuench 
Protestant  College,  which  shall  have  as  oi.e  of  its  chief  aims  the 
training  of  efhcient  missionaries  for  the  carrying  on  of  this  work. 
If  through  it  a  class  could  be  reached  which  would  otherwise  remain 
ignorant,  who  would  complain  ?  If  through  this  institution  children 
could  be  drawn  away  from  the  parochial  schools,  excellent  for  the 
purpose  they  contemplate,  but  very  hurtful  to  the  people  and  to  the 
interests  of  this  republic,  what  thoughtful  citizen  could  object?  Such 
a  college  would  be  worked  on  the  following  plan  :  Children  would  be 
taken  in  the  institution  for  six  or  seven  months,  board  and  tuition  in 
both  languages  would  be  given  them  at  a  nominal  price,  or  free  if  nec- 
essary. They  would  receive  each  day  one  hour  of  biblical  instruc- 
tion b^-  which  principles  of  true  religion  would  be  inculcated.  At  the 
close  of  the  school  term  they  would  go  back  to  their  homes,  there  to 
act  as  so  manj'  missionaries.  Before  long,  from  among  the  moi-  in- 
telligent and  pious  bo^'s,  a  class  could  be  selected  and  trained  for  mis- 
sionar}'  work,  under  teachers  qualified  for  such  duties.  While  study- 
ing thev  could  cnsiasxe  in  mission  work  in  the  citv  and  thus  greatly 
increase  the  usefulness  of  our  Lowell  church.  We  need  children 
thus  trained  to  leaven  even  our  French  Protestant  homes  and  churches, 
not  to  speak  of  the  Catholic  community,  with  that  spiritual  power 
which  is  now  wanting,  even  in  some  of  our  workers,  who  lament  the 
fact  that  they  recover  slowl\-  from  the  blighting  influence  exerted  oyer 
the  conscience  by  that  dreadful  system,  Komanism.  Such  an  institu- 
tion would  also  offer  a  safe  harbor  to  an  increasing  number  of  intelli- 
gent 3'oung  men  who  are  notfVdissatisfied  with  Romanism,  but  know 
nothing  else,  and  thus,  for  want  of  Gospel  truth,  give  themselves  up 
to  infidelity  and  sin.  Several  cases  of  this  nature  are  known  to  us 
now,  but  we  can  do  nothing  for  them.  A  school  of  this  nature  far 
from  coming  in  conflict  with  the  publie  school  sjstem  would  ratlier 
help  it  in  that  it  would  in  time  compel  tlie  closing  of  those  mediicval 
institutions  known  as  parociiial  schools,  the  manifest  object  and  tend- 
ancy  of  which  we  all  well  know.     To  speak  against  them  does  little 


L 


14 

good ;  to  take  measures  for  their  suspension,  which  are  right,  which 
have  saved  hundreds  of  souls  elsewhere,  is  the  highest  wisdom. 

It  is  our  purpose  to  open  such  a  college  in  LowoU  noxt  fall.  Until 
we  can  do  better  we  shall  rent  a  house,  secure  the  sei  vices  of  a  chrls- 
tiau  man  and  his  wife  who  with  the  help  of  the  pastor  of  the  church, 
will  direct  and  teach  as  many  scholars  as  our  funds  sliall  admit.  The 
scheme  seems  new  and  needs  to  be  studied,  but  as  soon  as  under- 
stood meets  with  great  favor.  It  is  sanctioned  b}-  the  Congregational 
ministers  of  Lowell  and  by  several  business  men  of  influence. 

I  appeal  to  benevolent  Christian  men  and  women  for  pledges  of 
scholarships  of  $.jO  for  one  or  more  pupils  they  may  be  pleased  to 
educate  and  save,  and  it  may  be,  place  in  the  Gospel  ministry.  May 
I  not  ask  superintendents  of  Sabbath  schools  to  interest  their  schools 
ill  this  foreign  mission  work  right  at  their  door?  Where  is  the  Sab- 
bath school,  however  small,  that  would  not  gladly  respond  if  the 
matter  were  proposed  ?  I  firmly  believe  God  will  hear  our  prayers 
and  that  ere  long  we  shall  have  more  pledged  than  we  require. 

May  God's  blessing  rest  upon  this  great  missionary  enterprise, 
which  if  successful  will  not  only  influence  this  land,  but  will  also 
exert  a  most  powerful  reflex  influence  upon  the  French  Roman  Catho- 
lic population  of  Canada.  And  unto  God  shall  be  the  glory  for 
whatever  good  may  be  done. 


I  ilM* 


15 


FRENCH  PROTESTANT  COLLEGE. 

I  pledge  myself  to  pay  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  French  Protestant 
College,  Lowell,  (on  or  before  the  15th  Oct.,  1885,)  the  sum  of 
0  for  scholarship   towards   the   education   of 

pupil. 

One  scholarship  is  $50,  one  half  $25,  one  quarter  S13.  Sign  and 
return  as  soon  as  convenient  to  Rev.  C.  E.  Araaron,  2G  Arlington 
Street,  Lowell,  Mass. 


The  scheme  proposed  by  Rev.  C.  E.  Amaron  for  the  extension  of 
the  work  of  French  evangelization  in  Massachusetts  meets  with  the 
approval  of  the  following  ministers  in  Lowell : 
Rev.  Owen  Stkeet,  D.  D., 

Pastor  High  Street  Congregational  Church. 
Rev.  J.  M.  Greene,  D.  D., 

Pastor  Eliot  Congregational  Church. 
Rev.  Chas.  A.  Dickinson, 

Pastor  Kirk  Street  Congregational  Church. 
Rev.  Charles  H.  Willcox, 

Pastor  Pawtucket  Congregational  Church. 
Rev.  S.  W.  Adrianoe, 

Pastor  Highland  Congregational  Church. 
Rev.  Smith  Baker, 

Pastor  First  Congregational  Church. 
Rev.  H.  T.  Rose, 

Pastor  John  Street  Congregational  Church. 


APPEXDIX. 

Since  the  printing  of  thin  paniplilet,  God  han 
opjiK'd  to  u.s  a  way  wlienhy  we  shall  be  able  to 
(»pjn  next  tall  u  inissionat-y    training   isehool  in 
Lowell.    A  liberal  gift  haw  been  received  which 
liowever  nuist  prove  insutficiont  to  enflure  8uc- 
(reH8,     without   the    co-o})eration   of  Siibbath- 
sehools  and  churcheM.     It  is  our  intention  to  be- 
gin with  20  or  25  students,  yet  ihis  we  cannot 
safely  do  unless  as  many  scholarships  are  forth- 
coming. We  have  i)ut  them  at  $50  with  the  hope 
that  each  student  will  be  able  to  add  $25  to  that 
sum.     uVlready  12  a]>pliciitions  have  hvvn  recei- 
ved, all  from  young   men    who  cannot  without 
help  pursue  their  studicH.      One  of  them  a  Ro- 
man Catholic  young  man  aged  17,  left  his  fami- 
ly and  country  to  be  able  to  study  the  gospel.  He 
eame  to    Lowell  some  weeks  ago,  attended  the 
French  l*rotestant  church,    gave    his  heart   to 
Christ,  joined    the  church   and  desires   to  give 
himself  to  christian  work.      Christian  men  and 
women,  be  thankful  to  God  that  such  opportu- 
nities are  offered    you  to  give  christian  educa- 
tion to  so  many  young  men  whom  God  shall  use 
verv  soon  to  save  thousands  of  others  who  are 
yet  in  the  darkness  of  sin.     Gladly  seize  the  op- 
portunity.    Let  $100  be  given  for  each  of  these 
young  disciples  of  Christ  who  wish  to  fit  them- 
selves for  his  service  and    vet  are  not  able   for 

ft- 

want  of  monev. 


